Fly-screen.



R. NI PITCHER.

FLY SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED MIIB, 1914.

Patented 'May 18, 1915.

IVI 7 52515-208l lo THE MORRIS PETERS 1:0.,PHOTO-LITHQ.. WASHING ION. D. C

UNUSED FATFQNT RALPH N. PITCHER, OF MILEVAKEE, WISCONSIN.

FLY-SCREEN.

risente.

Application 'filed January 8, 1914.

To all @07mm it may concern Be it known that l, RALPH N. PITCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Faisconsin, have invented new and useful improvements in F ly-Screens, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in fly screens and it pertains to that class of screens which are provided with outlet openings at their upper ends for the escape of liies from the buildings where such screens are used.

Experience has proven that to be eiective in preventing dies from entering buildings through the escape openings of this class, it becomes necessary to close the front side of such opening, whereby light is prevented from passing through the upper end of the same. rlheoutlet passage of the screen is darkened and flies are thereby prevented from entering the building.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 represents a front view of a screen provided with the preferred form of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the screen shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail of one corner of the screen drawn on line .r-w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front view, and Fig. 5 is a top view showing a modified form of bracket for supporting the top of the screen at intermediate points between the respective sides of the frame, and

Fig. 6 represents a modified form of screen` in which the supporting brackets shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 are dispensed with and the upper end of the screen is supported at a slight distance in front of the screen frame.

Like parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views.

1, l represent the side members of the frame.

2 is the bottom member.

3 is the top member. The top member 3 may be made of uniform thickness throughout its entire length, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and secured to the upper end of the side members 1, 1 by a plurality of nails or screws 4.

5 represents a wire screen cloth of ordinary construction which is secured to the sides and bottom of the frame by a plu- Speciicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

serial No. 810,930.

rality of tacks 6. By thus forming the top member 3 of the frame of uniform thickness throughout its entire length, an open space 'l is provided between such frame member and the screen 6 through which flies are free to escape from the building where such screens are used.

S is a flat thin strip of metal, or other equivalent material, which is preferably made about the width of the frame member 3 and the same is secured at its respective ends to the side member 1 by a plurality of nails or screws and extends from one of said side members to the other. The object of the flat strip of metal 8 is twofold. First it serves as a support for the screen between the two vertical side members 1, while it also darkens the outlet passage at the upper side of the screen, whereby flies are prevented from entering the dwelling where such screen is used through the darkened passage beneath the strip 8. Irlhe strip 8 is preferably provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending bends or brackets 9 which contact with the frame member 3 and are adapted to be secured thereto with a plurality of screws 10 or in any other convenient manner. lf desired, the rearwardly extending brackets 9 may be replaced by angular brackets 11, which angular brackets 11 are preferably struck up and pressed out from said strip of metal, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, when the free end of such bracket is adapted to contact with the top member 3. lf desired, however, the strip supporting brackets may be separately made and thereafter secured in place by screws or in any other convenient manner.

By the form shown in Fig. 6, the rearwardly extending brackets 9 and 11 are dispensed with and an opaque strip 12 is bent forwardly so as to form an opening 13 in front of the upper rail 14 of the screen supporting frame and the upper rail 14 is preferably made substantially of the same thickness as the side and bottom members of said frame.

It will be obvious that by the construction shown in said Fig. 6, the upper side of the screen supporting frame may be entirely covered with the window or sash without interfering with the escape of flies through the opening 13. It will also be obvious that the member 12 when thus formed will support the upper end of the screen at a slight distance from the frame, Whereby flies are ree t0 escape, as stated, through said opening 13. While thestrips Sand 12 are preferably made of metal, it is obvious that other opaque material may, if desired, be substituted therefor. l

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the described class, the combination of a frame, a Wire screen, a metallic opaque member adapted to partially nclose and darken an outlet opening .with said metallic member and interposed between said screen and the Vupper endA of 'the screen supporting frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 20 vin the presenceV oi'rtWo Witnesses.

RALPH N. II'ICHER.k Y

Witnesses: JAS. B. ERWIN,

IRMA D.V BREMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained ifor ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,y

' Washington, ID. C. 

